Cigarette-making machinery



. Feb. 24, 1931. w. E. MoLlNs 1,793,865

CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINERY Filed Dec. 2. 1926 /NVENTOR M, oz? m m15'.

Patented Feb. 24, 1931 -UNiTED STATES PATENT orifice WALTER EVERETT MOLINS, OF DEPTFORD, LONDON, ENGLAND CIGARETTE-MAKING MACHINERY Application led December 2, 1926, Serial No. 152,295, and in Great Britain December 18, 1925.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to cigarette making machinery and more particularly to a cigarette making machine of the continuous rod type, and has for its object the provision of mechanism adapted for use in severing an axially movingrod into lengths so as to ensure that the ends of the severed lengths are normal to the axes there of.

It has been proposed to provide a rotary ledger plate in connection With cutting mechanism for severing an axially moving rod into lengths wherein the plate is arranged to rotate in a horizont-al plane which entends through the axisof the moving rod. Ledger plates of the above character are provided with a semi-circular groove in their rim which is adapted to receive the moving rod and one or more radial slots are cut in the rim so as to receive a movable cutting blade.

It has been found however, with ledger plates of the above character, that due to the fact that the axially moving rod engages With `a radially disposed surface of the plate and the edge of the blade engages with a radially A disposed slot, the different speeds of the radial points along the surface of the groove and the slot, impart to the sections of the movingV rod a gradually decreasing speed Which causes the ends of the rod to receive an inclined cut which is detrimental.

In order to obviate this difliculty, it is proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a rotary ledger plate wherein the i surface thereof which is adapted to support the moving rod during the cutting operation is arranged so that all the points on the surface Which support the rod, travel at the same speed as the rod and a transverse slot or slots formed in the said surface is arranged so that the cutting edge of the blade travels at the speed of the moving rod.

The present invention consists of a mechanism for use in severing an axially moving rod into lengths wherein a flanged ledger plate having a radial slot is arranged in such a manner that the rim of the plate (Which is adapted to travel at the axial speed of the rod) supports the rod during the major por- 5@tion of the cutting operation and the final cutof the rod is effected when the direction of the radial slot is normal to the direction of the axis of the moving rod.

Further the present invention consists of a mechanism for use in severing an axially moving rod into lengths which comprises a flanged ledger plate, rotatable in a vertical plane `Which extends substantially through the axis of the rod, and arranged so that the rim of the plate supports the moving rod and travels at the axial speed thereof, and a radial slot or slots cut in the rim and flange are arranged to receive periodically a cutting blade or blades to sever the rod into lengths.

The invention is more particularly described With reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l illustrates in elevation a ledger plate constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 isla plan `View of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. l indicating; the manner in which the cutting blade en-` gages With the ledger plate.

Referring to the drawings, a moving rod l is continuously fed through a tubular guide 2 to a rotatable flanged Wheel or plane 3 adapted to rotate in a vertical plane insuch a manner that the rim 4 engages 'ith the movable rod lland supports the same at the `junction between the tubular guide SZ and a corresponding tubular guide 5. The flanged wheel 3 is driven at a speed auch that the peripheral speed of the rim Il is equal to the axial speed of the rod l. The flanged Wheel 3 is provided With a flange 6 located on that sideof the Wheel towards which a rotatable cutting blade 7 moves in its circular path.

The flanged Wheel is provided with a series of radial slots 8 which are adapted to receive the cutting blade 7 and support the same against lateral displacement relatively to the Wheel 3 during the cutting operation.

The rotary cutting blade 7 is arranged to engage With the slot 8 in the rim l and flange of the'whccl in such a manner that the action of the blade 7 forces the cigarette rod l into engagement with the rim l and thereby ensures during the major portion of the cutting operation the moving rod l and the 5 iiange 6, the ledger plate has been moved into a position in which the direction of vthe slot 8 in engagement with the blade is substantially normal to the axis of the moving rod, and

ially parallel to the axis of said ledger plate.

K In testimony7 whereof l hereunto signature.

afiix my wif-mina .nvnanrr Morane.

thereby ensure that the remaining portion ot 10 the cut is normal to the direction of the axis 'Z5 of the moving rod. v

`With a ledger plate of the above character,` the tubular guides 2 and 5 through which the continuously moving rod l travels, extend y into close proximity with one another and S0 the end tace of one tube is shaped in such a manner that the ,cutting edge oi the blade is in engagement therewith as the bladeI moves into engagement with the'slot in the plate and the A 2Q tace of the other tube is constructed so that 85 the blade engages therewith during the linal cutting operation. y hus it will be seen that faces of the tube are constructed so as to assist the cutting 2 5 blade in its normal path through the moving 0 rod and constitute a support which conipletely encircles the rod close up to the knife edge as the same severs the rod.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters lDatentis 95 l; ln mechanism for severing an axially moving rod into lengths,V the combination with a rotatable cutting bladehaving a peripheral cutting edge oit varying radius pro-l 35" gressively increasing in the direction of cutting action,` ot a rotatable ledger plate having. a circumferentially disposed llange extending parallel to the rotational axis ont the plate for supporting the rod, said flange be- 40? ing slotted to receive said blade during they cutting operation whereby the point of cutting action moves substantially parallel to the axis of said ledger plate.

2. ln mechanism for severing an axially 4,5; moving rod into lengths, the combination with a rotatable cutting blade having a peripheral cutting edge of varying radius progressively increasing in the `direction et cutting action, of a rotatable ledger plate having a circumferentially disposed iiange ex tending parallel to the rotational axis of the plate, said flange being slotted to receive said blade during the cutting operation7 the axes of rotation of said blade and said plate being V transversely disposed whereby the point o cutting action moves substantially parallel to the axis ot said ledger plate.

3. In mechanism for severing an axially moving rod into lengths, the combination 50' with a rotatable cutting blade having a peripheral cutting edge of varying radius progressively increasing in `the direction oi' cutting action, of a rotatable ledger plate having a flange extending radially of and a 5 flange extending substantially parallel to axis 

